Adopt an Animal Week at London Zoo

CELEBRATE ADOPT-AN-ANIMAL WEEK AT LONDON ZOO

21-29 October 2000

Between Saturday 21st October and Sunday 29 October, you can enjoy even more fun than usual at London Zoo, in celebration of the seventh annual Adopt-an-Animal Week, supported by Yoplait Wildlife.

Yoplait Wildlife, makers of delicious fromage frais and yogurts for children, are not only supporting the week, but have also organised a surprise children’s treasure trail around the Zoo, providing a fun and educational activity for the smaller members of the family!

Kids will also be invited to help make a free clay tile world map, which will be exhibited at the Zoo. Every day during ‘Adopt-an-Animal Week’ a different section of the world will be completed by visiting children, who can decorate a tile with an animal that corresponds to that area of the world.

For the little nippers who don’t want to get their hands dirty, there will also be the opportunity to decorate and colour their very own ‘Animal Partner’ cards. The cards will have two frames on the inside -- one for the children to colour or draw their perfect animal partner and one to draw a self-portrait!

Come and help the Zoo Keeper look after the animals at the Zoo by stopping a villain selling souvenirs made from animal skins. The villain also wants to set fire to nearby fields in order to clear them so he can grow crops and make money -- the Zoo Keeper needs help to show the villain how this can destroy the food chain. To help the Zoo Keeper, simply go to the ‘Animals in Action’ demonstration, which also stars Ant and Anteater, George the macaw, Dana the lemur and Tobermorey the coati.

Visitors can take part in a variety of daily events including Keepers' talks, which allow visitors the opportunity to get to know about their favourite animals. Visitors can see the elephants being weighed, and watch keepers feed a selection of animals including pigs, camels, lions, sloth bears and monkeys.

Other activities running through the week include children’s face painting and animal rides. Visitors can be kept up to date with events by picking up special leaflets or checking the notice board at the Main Gate.

As well as getting to know about the Zoo and its residents, children are also invited to support the conservation programmes and upkeep of the animals at the Zoo through the ‘Pocket Money Adoption Scheme’. For as little as £15, under-14s can become the adoptive parent of animals including a pygmy hippopotamus, golden headed lion tamarin or scorpion (normal adoption price starts at £35).

Yoplait Wildlife supports London Zoo’s Conservation in Action programme by making a financial contribution for every pack sold from the range of children’s diary products, with a minimum of £50,000 a year going to help London Zoo’s conservation work.

Note to editors

• Ticket prices for London Zoo:
  Adult non-members £9.00
  Child non-members £7.00
  Child under three FREE

• Lifewatch membership:
  Adult £30.00
  Child (3-14) £25.00
  Senior Citizen £25.00
  Student £25.00
  Lifewatch membership allows unlimited free admission to London Zoo and subscription to 'Lifewatch' magazine for one year, invitations to member events, discounts at the London Zoo shop and two half-price guest vouchers to London Zoo or Whipsnade Wild Animal Park.

• London Zoo is open between 10am-5.30pm

• Pocket money adoptions are only available to children under 14 years and do not include free admission ticket

• Animal adoptions cost between £25 for animals such as dormouse, starfish and £6,000 for an Asian elephant

• All animals of £70 or more are available in shared adoption units of £35. So, you could adopt part of an elephant for £35 – we don’t specify which bit is yours!

• All adoptions come with the following:
  - An adoption certificate
  - A photograph of animal species
  - One free ticket to London Zoo for every £25 adoption or £35 given
  - A free subscription to 'Lifewatch' magazine for one year
  - The adopter's name will be listed on a special ‘thank you’ board in London Zoo</i>

• London Zoo’s adoption hotline is 020-7449 6228
  e-mail: adoptions@zsl.org
  www.londonzoo.co.uk

For further information please contact:
Debbie Curtis/Peter Beatty
London Zoo's Press Office
020-7449 6363
or
Sarah Neale/Alex Hall
RPPR Ltd
020-7881 3232